1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information transmission device such as a facsimile machine that is capable of transmitting information to remote devices.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,833 has proposed a facsimile machine that can transfer incoming facsimile data to a remote facsimile machine in response to a transfer request transmitted from the remote facsimile machine.
It is conceivable to design the facsimile machine so that the facsimile machine can be registered with a facsimile number of a remote facsimile machine. This facsimile machine is designed to store incoming facsimile data, to respond to a transfer request from the remote facsimile machine, and then to transfer the stored incoming facsimile data to the remote facsimile machine.
A user can use this type of facsimile machine in a manner described below.
While a user is outside his/her own home or office where his/her facsimile machine is located, the facsimile machine is controlled to store incoming facsimile data. The user can access his/her facsimile machine from the remote facsimile machine that is located where the user is presently staying and whose facsimile number is registered in the user""s facsimile machine. That is, the user operates the remote facsimile machine to request his/her own facsimile machine to transfer, to that remote facsimile machine, incoming facsimile data that is presently being stored in the user""s facsimile machine. Upon receipt of this transfer request, the user""s facsimile machine transfers the stored information to the remote device.
This type of facsimile machine is designed to transfer incoming facsimile data only to the remote facsimile machine whose facsimile number is registered in the subject facsimile machine. The facsimile machine, therefore, may not transfer incoming facsimile data to any other remote facsimile machines whose facsimile numbers are not registered in the subject facsimile machine. Accordingly, when the user leaves his/her office or home without knowing exactly where he or she is going, then the user can not register facsimile numbers of any remote facsimile machines in his/her facsimile machine. Accordingly, while the user is outside his/her home or office, the user can not remotely control his/her own facsimile machine to transfer facsimile data to his/her location.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an improved information transmission device that is capable of transmitting incoming information to any remote device, such as a facsimile device, in response to a transmission request, even when a facsimile number or other information identifying the remote device is not registered.
In order to attain the above and other objects, the present invention provides an information transmission device, comprising: means for storing information; means for detecting data specifying a remote target device, to which the information is desired to be transmitted; and means for transmitting the information to the remote target device based on the remote target device specifying data.
The detecting means may include: call detecting means for detecting a call from a remote requesting device and for establishing a connection with the remote requesting device; and request detecting means for detecting the remote target device specifying data transmitted from the remote requesting device through the established connection.
The request detecting means may include means for disconnecting the connection with the remote requesting device after the remote target device specifying data is detected. The transmitting means may include means for transmitting a call signal for calling the remote target device so that a connection will be established with the remote target device, the information being transmitted to the remote target device through the established connection.
According to another aspect, the present invention provides an information transmission device, comprising: means for storing information; means for receiving, through a telephone circuit connected to a remote requesting device, a transmission request signal for requesting transmission of the information and data specifying a remote target device, to which the information is desired to be transmitted; means for storing the received remote target device specifying data; control means for, after reception of the transmission request signal and the remote target device specifying data, disconnecting the telephone circuit presently connected to the remote requesting device, and thereafter calling the remote target device based on the remote target device specifying data; and means for transmitting the information to the remote target device via a telephone circuit connected by the control means.
The remote target device may be the same as the remote requesting device. The remote target device may be different from the remote requesting device.
According to a further aspect, the present invention provides an information supplying system, comprising: a terminal, including: means for designating a target terminal, to which information is desired to be transmitted; and means for transmitting data specifying the target terminal to an information supplying device and for requesting the information supplying device to transmit the information to target terminal, and the information supplying device, including means for storing the information; means for receiving the target terminal specifying data; and means for transmitting the information to the target terminal based on the remote target terminal specifying data.
According to still another aspect, the present invention provides a data storage medium storing data of a computer program for controlling an information transmission device to transmit information, stored in the information transmission device, to a remote target device, the computer program comprising: a computer program of detecting data specifying a remote target device, to which information is desired to be transmitted; and a computer program of transmitting the information to the remote target device based on the remote target device specifying data.